Federal prosecutors allege West Side pizza joint mostly sold drugs

By KATHRYN MARCHOCKINew Hampshire Union Leader

No pizzas ever came out of Amory Street House of Pizza in the last year or so when undercover drug investigators kept the West Side restaurant under surveillance, federal prosecutors allege in court records.

.Rather, sales at the drab storefront included MDMA, the club drug known on the streets as “Molly,” the prescription drug Viagra, and illegal sale of the anti-anxiety medication, Klonopin, the complaint says...One informant cooperating with investigators told police he collected $250,000 to $300,000 in drug proceeds from the 253 Amory St. business from Alkis Nakos, who owns the shop with his father, Kornelios Nakos, court records added. The building’s legal address is 440 Hevey St...Banking records from Jan. 1, 2013 to May 6 show it only spent an average $10 a month on food and $636 on beverages.

Calling it a “sham” business that fronted for alleged illegal drug activity, federal officials want to seize the property along with the 366 Arah St. house Nakos owns in Manchester and the 2012 Mercedes Benz GlK350W4 Nakos registered in his mother, Theodora’s, name...The federal government also seeks forfeiture of more than $38,000 in cash assets — of which nearly $19,000 was seized from Nakos and an alleged co-conspirator in a multi-million marijuana trafficking ring along with two money market accounts Nakos and his father hold...The federal government seeks to seize the property under federal drug forfeiture laws, according to sealed complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Concord on June 20. The court ordered the documents unsealed July 21...Nakos, 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury July 25, according to his attorney, Robert S. Carey of Concord, and a federal court clerk.

Nakos was among 10 Manchester-area men arrested and charged last month with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought an estimated 100 to 200 pounds of marijuana and other illicit drugs to the Granite State each week...Nakos and long-time friend, Kosmas Koustas, 35, of Hooksett, allegedly were part of the upper echelon of the New Hampshire arm of the North American drug ring that smuggled shipments of high-grade marijuana into the Manchester area from Canada...Koustas and Juan Rodriguez Sanchez were indicted by a federal grand jury July 23 for conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in March 2014.

Indictments also were handed up last week against Jonathan Venturini and Jonathan Handschumaker. The six-count indictment charges the men with conspiring to distribute marijuana. Venturini also is charged with unlawful possession of three firearms...kmarchocki@unionleader.com..